Hyundai Names Former Nissan Executive as COO

Hyundai Motor America said it had hired former Nissan Motor Co. marketing chief Steve Wilhite as chief operating officer.

Wilhite, who was not available for comment, resigned from Nissan Wednesday in advance of the Hyundai announcement.

Before relocating to Japan last year, he had been head of marketing for Nissan North America. Wilhite is to begin his job at Hyundai on Aug. 16.

Fountain Valley-based Hyundai Motor America is the U.S. import and distribution arm of South Korea’s largest automaker.

It had been seeking a chief operating officer for six months, since former President and Chief Executive Robert Cosmai was dismissed and longtime Hyundai executive Ok Suk Koh took over that post.

-- John O’Dell